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Calderstones nurse from Burnley killed himself after being sectioned

A NURSE who frequently smoked cannabis hanged himself after a battle with depression, an inquest heard.

Daniel James Hall, who worked at Calderstones Hospital in the Ribble Valley, had previously been sectioned under the Mental Health Act before he took his own life on January 7.

The 32-year-old, of Laithe Street in Burnley, was described as ‘wonderful, adventurous and fun’ by his mother, Katherine.

He left Burnley to travel in New Zealand and Australia, where he worked as a scaffolder and a farmer, before returning in August last year.

East Lancashire coroner Richard Taylor was told that after returning to the UK, Mr Hall suffered ‘bouts of aggression’ and ‘heard voices in his head’.

He was sectioned last November after becoming abusive and suggesting he would kill himself, but was released from ward 18 of Burnley General Hospital after seven days.

Mrs Hall said: “He was concerned, because of the nature of the job he did, about any criminal background checks that would show he had been sectioned.

“He didn’t want to be there. He said it was only making him worse.”

Paul Heyworth, manager of ward 18 at Burnley General Hospital, said Mr Hall was assessed daily during his stay and appeared ‘focused on the future’ when he was discharged after a week.

Mrs Hall said there were ‘peaks and troughs’ in her son’s mood throughout December and January, and that she ‘thought he was getting better’ in the days leading up to his death.

Mr Hall hanged himself at his home on January 7, the same day he was due to attend an appointment with substance misuse service Inspire.

Recording a narrative conclusion, Mr Taylor said: “He took his own life while depressed.”

He added: “This was a young man who became ill very, very quickly, and I would guess, because of his own knowledge of mental health issues, that he would have been exceptionally worried about his own condition.

“He no doubt disliked himself in part for his reaction towards family and friends.

“He used cannabis for a long time. Whether it’s the root cause of this, I don’t know.”